Copy and paste this worksheet as a separate page linked to the Homepage of your portfolio. DO NOT type your answers on THIS document because it needs to be used by other students. The title of your page which replies to these questions is linked to your portfolio and should begin with the first initials of your first and last name. (In my case, the link to this worksheet from my portfolio page would read frrezsisters.)
You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, November 3). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
Rez Sisters chronicles the lives and events of several Native American women who live on an Indian Reservation in Canada. The play discusses in detail the women's experience as not only Native Americas living on a reservation but their struggle as females, specifically Native American women. The play begins in the late summer of 1986. We open on midmorning in August at the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve. The women involved in the first scene are Pelajia Patchnose, who opens the play, seen on the roof of her home nailing on shingles to the roof of her home in overalls and men's clothing as she takes on completing a man's job. In the scene, Pelajia is helped by her sister Philomena. They are later joined by their half-sister Annie Cook who brings them the news of the BIGGEST BING IN THE WORLD which is to take place in Toronto. The ladies become excited about the bing and the rest of play unfolds from there.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion of the play is the scene when all of the women are gossiping in Emily's store. While this scene may seem relatively unimportant, this is a critical point in the plot of the play and serves as the play's intrusion as it is clear that the women really want to go to the bingo game. It is at this point, during their gossiping, that the women decide to attend the bing and when they concoct a plan to be able to attend the game and make the long and expensive trip all the way the Toronto. This acts as the intrusion of the play because all of the play is about the women struggling to get to the big game, through fundraising, through the car ride, and through the game itself. Therefore, their decision to attend the bingo game acts as the play's intrusion.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day that the women living on the reservation find out about the BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD that will be taking place in Toronto, and the women make the decision to attend.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will the women win the bingo game and be able to win enough money to officially make it off of the reservation and into a much happier and more comfortable lifestyle.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The type of exposition that not everybody knows is the information and stories that women share in their asides, specifically the information the Zhaboonigan and Marie Adele discuss with Nanabush. A particular example of this type of exposition is Zhaboonigan's disclosure on the ride to Toronto that she was raped with a screwdriver. This is a chilling revelation that Zhaboonishan discloses to Nanabush during their car ride. The second type of exposition which is described as the exposition that everybody knows would be the gossip and descriptions of the women. The reservation seems to be relatively small and everybody knows everybody's business. A specific example of this is the gossip that ensues surrounding Big Joey and his mistress. The stories that women tell are known to all of the women, and from the sound of it, everybody on the reservation. Due to this fact, the gossip serves as the second type of exposition explored in the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment of the play is the fundraising scene where the women attempt to raise enough money to afford their trip to Toronto for the BIGGEST BINGO GAME IN THE WORLD. The theatricality of this scene is developed through the use of dramatic movement, choreography, the usage of various props, sound, music, and the quick pace of the scene. The women are stressed and completing various tasks in an attempt to raise enough money to afford their trip to Toronto. The stress of the women is felt by the audience due to the intimacy of the performance space and the nature of the scene. Due to the combination of technical production, usage of the performance space, and the overall stressful air of the scene make it the most theatrical moment in the play. The most shocking scene, however, is hands down the bingo scene in which all of the women freak out over playing bingo while Marie Adele dies and dances off the stage in the arms of Nanabsuh.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some of the various themes seen throughout the play include desire, freedom, and gender roles. The theme of desire is explored in the play through the wants of the women that inspire them to participate in the bingo game. For example, Philomena desires a toilet which inspires her to play the bingo game. All of the women desire various material things and are inspired by their desires to participate in the bingo game in Toronto. The theme of freedom can be seen by the lack of freedom that the women encounter. The women are trapped by their lack of freedom due to their identity and their confinement to the reserve. Many of the women do not have cars which illustrate the lack of a material and economic freedom, however, it can also be metaphorical for the women's lack of ability to leave the reserve. Their lack of freedom to remove themselves from their lifestyle. Finally, the theme of gender roles is explored through the women's identity as females. It is important to note that the women suffer from other conditions due to their genders such as abuse from their husbands or partners as well as having to take on untraditional roles due to their husband's lack of responsibility and addiction to alcohol.
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
The women's main want is to go to Toronto in order to participate in the bingo game. However, the various obstacles that women face include a lack of funds, a lack of transportation, a lack of housing/residence in Toronto, and later, a flat tire on their drive to Toronto. The obstacles that the women face are critical to the women's experience as well as the struggle that many Native Americans face due to a lack of resources. However, the women were able to overcome all of their setbacks and successfully make it to the bingo game in time to compete.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The title Rez Sisters is an important image that illustrates the close-knit relationship that the women have. Many of them are related by blood, however, more importantly, like Emily highlighted through her anecdote about her past, the women are related to their struggle as Native American females living on a reservation, making the women Rez Sisters. Other images include Nanabush who is a very clear example of the spiritual nature of the Native American culture. Nanabush is a spirit who can only speak to and acknowledge Zhaboonigan and Marie Adele. In addition, his movement adds to his view as a more spiritual being. Yet another image is the clothes that the women wear. Many of the clothes, specifically the ones that Emily and Pelajia wear are describes as being torn and well worn, in addition to being more masculine such as coveralls. The description of the clothes worn by the women is an illustration of their relationship and their position in the society as well as their lack of financial resources in order to buy any other pairs of clothing.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family relationships play a critical role in Rez Sisters as many of the women are actually related, either as sister or half-sisters. The relationship the women have as family members is an important characteristic to note. However, the more important familial relationship that is explored throughout the play is the sisterhood and sisterly bond between the women because of the identity as Native American women going through the similar struggles living on a reserve. This struggle that women experience together brings them together in a way that simply being blood-related cannot do. The sisterhood is one built on the struggle, and the play does an extremely good job of illustrating how such a bond is often much stronger than one simply built on blood relationships.
Copy and paste this worksheet as a separate page linked to the Homepage of your portfolio. DO NOT type your answers on THIS document because it needs to be used by other students. The title of your page which replies to these questions is linked to your portfolio and should begin with the first initials of your first and last name. (In my case, the link to this worksheet from my portfolio page would read frrezsisters.)
You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, November 3). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
Rez Sisters chronicles the lives and events of several Native American women who live on an Indian Reservation in Canada. The play discusses in detail the women's experience as not only Native Americas living on a reservation but their struggle as females, specifically Native American women. The play begins in the late summer of 1986. We open on midmorning in August at the Wasaychigan Hill Indian Reserve. The women involved in the first scene are Pelajia Patchnose, who opens the play, seen on the roof of her home nailing on shingles to the roof of her home in overalls and men's clothing as she takes on completing a man's job. In the scene, Pelajia is helped by her sister Philomena. They are later joined by their half-sister Annie Cook who brings them the news of the BIGGEST BING IN THE WORLD which is to take place in Toronto. The ladies become excited about the bing and the rest of play unfolds from there.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion of the play is the scene when all of the women are gossiping in Emily's store. While this scene may seem relatively unimportant, this is a critical point in the plot of the play and serves as the play's intrusion as it is clear that the women really want to go to the bingo game. It is at this point, during their gossiping, that the women decide to attend the bing and when they concoct a plan to be able to attend the game and make the long and expensive trip all the way the Toronto. This acts as the intrusion of the play because all of the play is about the women struggling to get to the big game, through fundraising, through the car ride, and through the game itself. Therefore, their decision to attend the bingo game acts as the play's intrusion.
3. What is the unique factor?
This is the day that the women living on the reservation find out about the BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD that will be taking place in Toronto, and the women make the decision to attend.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will the women win the bingo game and be able to win enough money to officially make it off of the reservation and into a much happier and more comfortable lifestyle.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The type of exposition that not everybody knows is the information and stories that women share in their asides, specifically the information the Zhaboonigan and Marie Adele discuss with Nanabush. A particular example of this type of exposition is Zhaboonigan's disclosure on the ride to Toronto that she was raped with a screwdriver. This is a chilling revelation that Zhaboonishan discloses to Nanabush during their car ride. The second type of exposition which is described as the exposition that everybody knows would be the gossip and descriptions of the women. The reservation seems to be relatively small and everybody knows everybody's business. A specific example of this is the gossip that ensues surrounding Big Joey and his mistress. The stories that women tell are known to all of the women, and from the sound of it, everybody on the reservation. Due to this fact, the gossip serves as the second type of exposition explored in the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment of the play is the fundraising scene where the women attempt to raise enough money to afford their trip to Toronto for the BIGGEST BINGO GAME IN THE WORLD. The theatricality of this scene is developed through the use of dramatic movement, choreography, the usage of various props, sound, music, and the quick pace of the scene. The women are stressed and completing various tasks in an attempt to raise enough money to afford their trip to Toronto. The stress of the women is felt by the audience due to the intimacy of the performance space and the nature of the scene. Due to the combination of technical production, usage of the performance space, and the overall stressful air of the scene make it the most theatrical moment in the play. The most shocking scene, however, is hands down the bingo scene in which all of the women freak out over playing bingo while Marie Adele dies and dances off the stage in the arms of Nanabsuh.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some of the various themes seen throughout the play include desire, freedom, and gender roles. The theme of desire is explored in the play through the wants of the women that inspire them to participate in the bingo game. For example, Philomena desires a toilet which inspires her to play the bingo game. All of the women desire various material things and are inspired by their desires to participate in the bingo game in Toronto. The theme of freedom can be seen by the lack of freedom that the women encounter. The women are trapped by their lack of freedom due to their identity and their confinement to the reserve. Many of the women do not have cars which illustrate the lack of a material and economic freedom, however, it can also be metaphorical for the women's lack of ability to leave the reserve. Their lack of freedom to remove themselves from their lifestyle. Finally, the theme of gender roles is explored through the women's identity as females. It is important to note that the women suffer from other conditions due to their genders such as abuse from their husbands or partners as well as having to take on untraditional roles due to their husband's lack of responsibility and addiction to alcohol.
8. What does the chief character want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
The women's main want is to go to Toronto in order to participate in the bingo game. However, the various obstacles that women face include a lack of funds, a lack of transportation, a lack of housing/residence in Toronto, and later, a flat tire on their drive to Toronto. The obstacles that the women face are critical to the women's experience as well as the struggle that many Native Americans face due to a lack of resources. However, the women were able to overcome all of their setbacks and successfully make it to the bingo game in time to compete.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The title Rez Sisters is an important image that illustrates the close-knit relationship that the women have. Many of them are related by blood, however, more importantly, like Emily highlighted through her anecdote about her past, the women are related to their struggle as Native American females living on a reservation, making the women Rez Sisters. Other images include Nanabush who is a very clear example of the spiritual nature of the Native American culture. Nanabush is a spirit who can only speak to and acknowledge Zhaboonigan and Marie Adele. In addition, his movement adds to his view as a more spiritual being. Yet another image is the clothes that the women wear. Many of the clothes, specifically the ones that Emily and Pelajia wear are describes as being torn and well worn, in addition to being more masculine such as coveralls. The description of the clothes worn by the women is an illustration of their relationship and their position in the society as well as their lack of financial resources in order to buy any other pairs of clothing.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family relationships play a critical role in Rez Sisters as many of the women are actually related, either as sister or half-sisters. The relationship the women have as family members is an important characteristic to note. However, the more important familial relationship that is explored throughout the play is the sisterhood and sisterly bond between the women because of the identity as Native American women going through the similar struggles living on a reserve. This struggle that women experience together brings them together in a way that simply being blood-related cannot do. The sisterhood is one built on the struggle, and the play does an extremely good job of illustrating how such a bond is often much stronger than one simply built on blood relationships.